January 2008 Archives

I usually do not like men who wear jewelry but if done subtly, it can be a very appealing look. Like the industrial 18k, black rubber, ceramic and stainless bracelets above; they're young, hip (perfect for my brothers!) and very masculine. I can see this on Brad Pitt, he loves jewelry and carries it off fabulously without looking feminine or tacky. My husband, on the other hand, hates any kind of jewelry and only wears his platinum wedding band. Maybe it's the ex-football player in him but he thinks jewelry belong on women (hey, I am not complaining!) and I am certain he would laugh if I ever bought him any jewelry (other than cufflinks or watches) but if your guy is open to a little bling, this is the perfect Valentine's gift. Mens Bracelet with 18K Gold Screws and Black Rubber
Mens Stainless Steel and Ceramic Bracelet

Luxe gadgetry knows no bounds, as shown by Swarovski's exclusive "Fashion Rocks" 2007 jewelry collection. Released in October, these compact, folding headphones, completely encrusted in amethyst crystals, come with a single-sided, specialized cord for low-loss conductivity and a stereo unimatch plug. $1,963 at Swarovski.com

Source:Forbes

When I first entered SMU, I thought my mother was kidding when she said that I would need every strand of pearls I had ever owned once I arrived on campus. It didn't take me long to find out that she was far from kidding. Women on SMU's campus wear pearls with their sorority jerseys and blue jeans (which often accompanies a faint smell of hard liquor left over from the night before). I never quite bought into the whole pearls and blue jeans look but I must admit that there is something enchanting about the combination. This is why I love this necklace by Majorica. It is a pearl hanging on a sterling silver chain which encompasses, in one fail swoop, my love of the delicate look of pearls against the contrasting look of metal. Perhaps I am an SMU pearl snob at heart after all. Majorica Coin Pearl Pendant Necklace, $125.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

I've always been a fan of Hermes scarves but I am always hesitant to wear them because, worn the wrong way, they can make your look so outdated. (I am all for classicism but I don't want to look like a fashionably confused version of my grandmother!) This Alexis Bittar pin can be a cleaver way to allow you to wear your favorite scarf while still updating the look. (The trick is to clip the pin in an unusual place so that you are still revealing an alluring amount of skin that appears accidental.) My favorite way to incorporate a pin in this way is to pin the scarf at the back of the neck or to one shoulder. This way, when you turn around there is an interesting element to your look that looks very creative yet sophisticates. Alexis Bittar Large Jolie Fleur Pin, $245.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

One of our editors featured Kelly Alexandra's jewels a while back but I did not get a first hand look until today at her showroom (and bought a few very fabulous pieces I will be wearing over Fashion week!) and I have to say "WOW". The fact that the pieces are fashion forward and beautiful and that the designer, Kelly Alexandra, is only 12 years old completely astounds me! I am amazed at her taste level, craftsmanship, and her appreciation of vintage stones and antique glass that she uses throughout her collection. Email Kelly's mom, Andrea, for pricing and availability.

These Chinese decoupage beads ($475) are painstakingly created one at a time by applying fine strips of Chinese newsprint to hand-drilled wooden beads. Kelly takes a full eight hours to make each necklace. The unique spacer beads of solid ebony wood inlaid with copper, silver, and brass are imported from Mali, Africa. A black satin ribbon completes this limited edition necklace.

I love buying jewelry for myself and have always encouraged girlfriends to do the same. I never understood women who felt the need to "wait" for a man to buy them beautiful jewels! Not that I don't appreciate my husband when he brings home prettily wrapped boxes from Cartier or Bvlgari (which he does, often!) but I just think women should buy jewelry for themselves if they are able to. I designed a line of jewelry sold at major department stores and you have no idea how often I sat at trunk shows listening to women say, "I really shouldn't buy this, I should wait for my husband/boyfriend/dad to buy it for me. I just feel too guilty to buy it for myself". Well now you can buy all the jewels you want without any guilt. Jewelry designer Joan Hornig brilliantly devised a model of giving 100% of the profits on each piece to the purchaser's charity of choice and challenges women to use beauty and fashion in a new way. This means you can buy to your heart's content because every penny of the profits will go to your favorite charity! Now that is worth splurging on. I love the cuffs above and the diamond earrings and no, I will not be waiting for my husband to buy it for me. Go to Joan's website to pick your favorite bauble and help your favorite charity at the same time.

My obsession with wood accessories continue with this whimsical necklace from Marni. I love big bold jewelry but being petite I have to be careful with this look. I generally pick one statement piece and leave the rest of my body bare of jewelry. This delightfully chunky necklace would be beautiful with so many things in my closet, it'd brighten a sweater and add depth to a LBD. Most Marni necklaces cost in the 4 figures so at $486 this is a really great deal. Made of wood and metal link loops with Marni's signature colored resin discs inscribed with the Marni logo. Coco Chanel once said she loved nothing more than being wrapped in chains, and this is a necklace I think she would approve of if she were still alive. Marni Loop necklace At NAP.

I am a die hard city girl and when I first moved to Texas I had a really hard time adjusting to the cows and horses that seem to roam at will everywhere I turn. I remember my first visit to a Texan ranch for a bar-b-que; a snake dangled from a tree in front of me and I screamed for about 10 minutes frozen in horror before running for my car and refusing to get out the entire afternoon, leaving my husband and his friends laughing. I am also terrified of creepy crawly things that accompany nature walks, my theory is: why walk in the woods when a stroll down 5th Ave is just as good (not that there aren't any creeps there but at least I get to shop). I have never gone camping either and never plan to. Why camp out when The Four Seasons has nice and comfy beds and you can order room service instead of being room service to some grizzly bear!?!? I do enjoy the beach, but only at a resort where I am guaranteed a bottle of champagne/water/wine whenever I please. So you see, I am not a nature girl. In fact, the closest thing I get to nature is through my accessories. Like the gorgeous wood bangles accented with semi-precious stones - pink topaz, peridot and aquamarine from Kara Ross above. Simple and chic, a stack of these will perk up any outfit and you won't risk any kind of harm or injury. Kara Ross Bracelets at Vivre

I think right hand rings are extremely important for single and taken women alike. I personally wear a diamond ring on my right hand that was passed down to me from my mother and a light blue topaz ring on my left hand that my great-grandmother purchased in Greece as my mother's high school graduation present. I love wearing beautiful stones on my hands for two reasons: one, hands, like shoes, reveal a person's personality and secondly, I think it is really important to wear something beautiful that makes you smile. These rings are of course better when they are accompanied by a story. Whenever I look at my light blue topaz ring I think of my great-grandmother. She was a strong, intelligent and charming woman who was born in 1901. She learned how to drive a car before women were expected to do so, and also attended college. She made her husband chase after her for years before she finally agreed to marry him. He wrote her love letters addressed to his "beautiful blue eyed darling" and my great-grandmother would insist that he had the wrong girl because she did not have blue eyes (which was a lie). The next time you're on a trip pick up a piece of jewelry and make sure to include a story with it before you give it away. If you're not traveling anytime soon grab your mother/sister/daughter/best friend and treat yourself to a day without any responsibilities that you will remember forever. You can end it with a shopping spree at Saks where you can find these beautiful rings. It's the memory, not the place, that counts.Stephen Dweck Bronze Flower Ring, $236.90, saksfifthavenue.com; Jude Frances Small Princess Ring, $1,250.00, saksfifthavenue.com; Julie Sandlau Black Onyx Ring, $245.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

This fabulous pair of estate diamond (F color VS1) and blue sapphire earrings set in platinum are from Tiffany & Co. circa 1990. It's humorous to me that 1990 is considered "Estate" as I was a sophomore in college during that time. I still feel like the same co-ed who delighted in new discoveries of the world so how can 18 years have passed? But even in college, I appreciated the finer things in life, thanks to my Shanghainese grandmother who is still glamorous at 95 years old. From an early age, she taught me quality things will last beyond my lifetime. From jewelry to clothes and handbags, I learned to appreciate the very best. And you are actually being frugal by buying one amazing item then a dozen trendy things each season. So if you are looking for an investment that will also glitter beautifully on you, the diamond and sapphire earrings from Tiffany's are perfect for you. At $5,695, it is priced substantially lower than its retail price (roughly $15,000). So you see, I have saved you money and found you a treasure to cherish for generations. Now how can you beat that?
C. 1990 Tiffany & Co. 2.53 ct. t.w. Sapphire and 1.32 ct. t.w. Diamond Earrings In Platinum at Ross Simon.

The reason I chose these earrings is because they are modeled after pansies, one of my mama's favorite flowers. (If you haven't noticed, I greatly appreciate and admire my mother. She always makes lemons into lemonade and she loves to show people her can-can. No really, she does the can-can every chance she gets. Besides, we share the same birthday.) Pansies are funny flowers because they nod their heads when it rains or when it's dark outside. When the sun comes out they perk up and almost seem to smile at you. I love these earrings by Jane A. Gordon because I can imagine reaching for them on days when I needed a little pick me up, something that would make me smile. I hope they do the same for you. Jane A. Gordon Pansy Earrings, $2600.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

I live a bit of a double life. I love fashion (obviously or I wouldn't have this once-in-a-lifetime badass job writing for Jewel Snob!) but I have another love, politics. Strange I know, but some days there is just nothing better for me than to come home and turn on CNN and hear Anderson Cooper talk about Benazir Bhutto and her former quest for democracy in Pakistan. Other days coming home and crawling into bed with a Vogue is my ideal way to unwind. For my two double lives, I keep in stock a little black dress that can be worn to fashion shows or to the New Hampshire primary (which I am attending). The trick, I've found, to giving this dress a duality necessary for my double lives is jewelry. This beautiful Gurhan necklace is perfect for either function. I could easily put on a beautiful jacket with my black dress and some kitten-heeled Louboutins and be ready to meet the political world head-on. Vice versa, I could wear this necklace with no jacket and a pair of model-high Chloe platforms and be mistaken for a model all night. Gurhan 24K/Diamond Droplet Necklace, $2000.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

I was lucky enough to be invited by Tina to the Chanel jacket show a few months ago. The show was so cool (not to sound cliche) because you were able to see and appreciate the amount of detail that goes into each piece and the transformation of the line into what we know and love today. Once you walked into the private show room, there were pieces on each wall with a sign indicating the year they were created. There were pieces from Coco herself, and of course Karl Lagerfeld. The pieces illustrated the transformation of Chanel from a new line that challenged women's fashion of her day (most appropriately defined as constricting) by creating comfortable pieces that moved with the body. The show also illustrated the line we know and love today that can only be characterized as chic and classic while still pushing the boundaries. My favorite part was a wall that was entirely filled with the different buttons that might be used on a Chanel jacket. This wall was my favorite because it reiterated the importance of detail in her work. I've always loved the Chanel jacket because it is such a signature piece that can be paired with virtually anything. The most interesting bit of information that I walked away with from the show was that Chanel cut the sleeves on her jackets to 3/4 sleeves in order to show off her cuff bracelets. At the time, 3/4 sleeves were not fashionable, but she loved her cuffs so much that she just cut off her sleeves. I love a woman who isn't afraid to push the boundaries of her time! This Elizabeth Cole cuff is perfect for your favorite Chanel jacket or for any occasion for that matter. It has a nice contrast of texture and I love that it is gold. I feel like women are afraid to wear gold anymore. Pair it with jeans or a suit and you will collect complements all day. Elizabeth Cole Cuff Bracelet, $270.00, saksfifthavenue.com.

Kenneth Jay Lane offers the most adorable jewelry at reasonable prices. Get a lucky charm in your favorite shade and fruit this season and perk up your t-shirt and jeans. Was $115 but currently on sale At Net a porter from $42-$63, at these bargain prices you can pick up all the yummy colors!
Kenneth Jay Lane Pear pendant
Kenneth Jay Lane Pear pendant necklace

Kenneth Jay Lane Pear pendant
Kenneth Jay Lane Apple pendant

I love clams and have often chomped on the little debris in the shell, of course I'd always look to see if it really is a pearl but usually it's tiny little pebbles. Check out what this lucky couple from Florida found in their $10 plate of steamed clams- a rare purple pearl! Is this not the funniest thing you've heard all year? (as in today!)

From Palm Beach Post: Halfway through a dozen steamers at Dave's Last Resort & Raw Bar, George Brock got a funny look on his face.

He pulled a bowl under his mouth and spit out something that his wife, Leslie, said sounded like a BB clinking against the plastic. But when the couple bravely peered into the clammy broth Friday afternoon, an iridescent purple pearl winked back at them. One expert says that lucky bite could fetch thousands.